Houston’s The Palm steakhouse to reopen July 8

A New York strip steak at The Palm restaurant. ( Johnny Hanson / Chronicle )

Houston’s The Palm steakhouse has set July 8 as the date for reopening after a five-month closing for a top-to-bottom refurbishment.

Longtime customers of the steakhouse which opened in Houston in 1978 are in for a treat. They will be the first to experience the prototype for The Palm Restaurant Group’s proposed redesigns of its iconic steakhouse restaurants. The company’s top executives will be in Houston that week to observe the prototype which will serve as a model for rebranding the restaurant group.

According to The Palm Houston’s executive director James Martin, the restaurant will be bigger (growing from 6,500 square feet to nearly 9,000 square feet) with a new bar, new signage, new uniforms, and new lighting and décor. What won’t change is the company’s lineup of USDA Prime steaks.

The steakhouse, located at 6100 Westheimer, closed in February for renovations.